Age is just a number

Adelaide has backed experience in its quest to atone for this year's Grand Final defeat, assembling what will be the oldest list in the competition in 2018.

The Crows had the seventh oldest group in 2017 but have rocketed to the top through the recruitment of midfielders Sam Gibson, 31, and Bryce Gibbs, 28, and two mature-age rookies.

It has lifted their average age as of round one next season to 24 years and 192 days, ahead of Hawthorn (24 and 179), Collingwood (24 and 98), Geelong (24 and 95) and Greater Western Sydney (24 and 16).

The Crows have a League average of three players over 30, but they lead the competition for players aged 25-29, with 19 (equal with Geelong).

Hawthorn has the Crows covered for average games experience, with 74, also leading the competition for average goals (59) and players with 100-199 games played (14).

Premiers Richmond are sitting in a strong list position after investing in the NAB AFL Draft rather than reloading with experience for 2018.

Clubs ranked from oldest average age to youngest*

Figures based on entire club's list, including category B rookies

RANKING

CLUB

AVERAGE AGE (YEARS, DAYS)

1.

ADEL

Adelaide

24

192

2.

HAW

Hawthorn

24

179

3.

COLL

Collingwood

24

98

4.

GEEL

Geelong

24

95

5.

PORT

Port Adelaide

24

50

6.

GWS

Greater Western Sydney

24

16

7.

ESS

Essendon

23

355

8.

SYD

Sydney

23

343

9.

MELB

Melbourne

23

335

10.

FRE

Fremantle

23

292

11.

WCE

West Coast

23

282

12.

WB

Western Bulldogs

23

259

13.

RICH

Richmond

23

255

14.

CARL

Carlton

23

244

15.

STK

St Kilda

23

201

16.

BL

Brisbane Lions

23

128

17.

NMFC

North Melbourne

23

117

18.

GCFC

Gold Coast

23

22

*Stats supplied by AFL statistician Cameron Sinclair

Only five clubs – the Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Gold Coast, North Melbourne and St Kilda – have younger lists than the Tigers, with ruckman Shaun Hampson the only player who will enter the season aged 30 or older.

After entering 2017 having played 65 finals collectively – compared to Hawthorn's 313 and Sydney's 267 – last year's premiership run has given the Tigers 114 games of September experience.

Gold Coast is the least experienced team in finals, with captain Gary Ablett taking his 17 games of September experience with him to Geelong and dropping the Suns' total to 31.

St Kilda (32) and Melbourne (44) are also very green when it comes to playing finals and both will be expecting to add experience in 2018.

Only six clubs have fewer than 100 games finals experience, with Carlton (56), Essendon (63) and the Brisbane Lions (65) the others.

Three clubs will go into next season with five 200-game players – Geelong, Port Adelaide and Sydney – while St Kilda will have none after the retirements of Nick Riewoldt, Leigh Montagna and Sean Dempster.

West Coast has the most players on its list yet to debut with 16 after adding six players through the national draft and three new rookies.